Many electronic devices, such as selective call receivers (e.g. pagers), communicate information to a user by displaying messages on a display. The display normally has fixed dimensions and is usually capable of displaying a maximum number of message characters. Typically, the number of message characters that can be displayed at one time is limited by the size of the message characters and the fixed dimensions of the display. These limitations are normally set in the design of the electronic device, and do not change during normal operation.
Regrettably, different segments of the user population for these electronic devices have different visual acuity, and may prefer different character sizes on the display. Some individuals are able to easily focus and read a message on the display at a normal viewing distance. While, other individuals are not able to focus and read the same message. Focusing distance also normally increases with age as a result of presbyopia. As the focusing distance increases the size of message characters must also increase to maintain the same subtended visual angle in relation to an image size on the retina. Often, the character size is too small for the user's normal viewing distance.
Optionally, the size of message characters could be set to a substantially large size on the display. This would help satisfy those segments of the user population that have difficulty reading the smaller size message characters. However, fewer of the larger sized characters could be displayed at one time. Hence, longer messages may have to be displayed in multiple display screens with many of the longer words partially displayed in two or more display screens. This procedure tends to be cumbersome and time consuming. Hence, certain segments of the user population are inconvenienced by having one fixed character size for the display.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for an improved method of displaying message characters on a display.